The Portland daily press., 1887-05-05
DAMAGE BY THE FREsHET.
The European Branch of the Maine
Central Now ImpassabIe.
Provincial Travel Obliged to Co by
Water from Portland.
A Report of Men Killed on the Pc
nobscot Waters.
Especial to the Press.l


road is having hard time. Last week their
operations were interrupted by washouts at
Vassalboro and Carmel, and now that that
difficulty is over it appears that not wheel
is moving east of this city, nor has been for
several days. The track is flooded immedi-
ately beyond Bangor at the water works. at
Great Works few miles further on. and at
Costigan and Kingman.
At the latter place the road-bed for mile
is under four feet of water. Thus all trans
portation Of freight and passengers between
this city and Vanceboro is rendered abso
lutely impossible, and according to the latest
reports is likely to remain so for week
longer. The water of the Penobscot and its
tributaries is still rising, the hot sun of the
last few days melting the snow in the back
woods with terrible rapidity.
In this city the wharves are flooded, and
the Boston and Bangor Steamship Company
has been obliged to land many of its passen-
gers at Bucksport and send them through by
rail.
Provincial travel being thus Unexpectedly
interrupted, scores of Bluenoses have be-
come stranded by the payment Of hetel ex-
penses. At Vanceboro 250 people were
Tuesday waiting fer the flood to subside, but
many finally gave it up, and returning to St.
John or st. Stephen took the steamer from
there for their Portland OF Boston destina-
tions.
All passengers from here for st. John and
points in the Provinces are obliged to take
the International line Passengers for st.
9TH 81, 30 ~, h.
have been delayed, have been returned to
Portland, and win there take the boats for
their destinations. The Maine Central fur
nished all delayed passengers with free re-
turn tickets to Portland, and to st. John
over the International steamship line. With
their usual energy the Maine Central man
agement is doing everything to forward
freight and passengers. Tonight the water
is rising, but it is hoped that, if no mora
rain comes, the freshet has reached its height
and that through train will be run through
to st. John from this city tomorrow. The
water has been kept to an unusual pitch in
the small streams and rivers as there has
been an immense body of snow to melt.
The lumbermen cannot at present estimate
their losses. While there has been thus far
no great damage to mill property, yet in the
aggregate the loss will foot up quite heavy.
There are many bad washouts in the country
roads, and stages are delayed, and travelling
with private teams is accomplished with
great difficulty.
Fort FAIRFIELD, May 4-The water is
the highest ever known here. Main street is
oyerflowed at the starch factory The large
bridge is in danger, and small bridges in va
rious directions are in dangerous condition.
The water is still rising.
BANGOR, May 4.-The water at the dam is
gradually falling, and is now little less
than eleven feet. Reports printed in the
evening paper that dams have been carried
away up river booms broken and men killed
cannot be verified, and lumbermen here be-
lieve the report incorrect Dispatches sent
to points up river obtain the fact that the
water has risen in the Mattawamkeag three
inches, but it is believed to be from melting
snow on the head waters of heriyer. The
water has also risen in the Aroostook and ST.
John rivers, from the same cause, and the
railroad track between Caribou and Presque
Isle is impossible.
Specials to the Commercial from Malta
wamkeag say the water is higher thore than
ever known except in an ice freshet, and is
still rising. 1t is almost across the road at
the north end of State bridge A dam has
been put in to keep it from flowing across
the road. Water is across the road at the
north end of Mattaceunk bridge and wash
ing badly. The west branch of the Penob-
scot is just beginning to rise. Two men
have been drowned on Wassataquia No
change for the better on the railroad at Mo-
lunkus bridge
The freshet up river still continues, and
the people of all the towns along the Penob-
scot are thoroughly frightened at its possible
results. At Mattawamkeag the river has
risen five inches since 6 o'clock this morning.
while at Winn there has been six-inch rise.
As yet this has not been noticed in Bangor
At the water works dam there has been a
fall of between and inches from the high
est pitch, and it is thought and hoped that
this will continue. A despatch from Winn
says that man has just come in there from
the upper part of the west branch, who saws
that the Grand Lake dam and one other
large one have gone out today. Above these
there was heavy jam of logs. and this was
broken with a rush, and the courier saws
that two men were killed and two others
quite seriously injured by it.